With a cry of “Let the games begin,” about 20 valet drivers hit the pavement on Sunday to compete in MarcParc Inc.’s first annual Valet Olympics, which included four different events to test drivers’ abilities. Held on one of the hottest days of the year at the MarcParc parking lot at New York Avenue and 5th Street, the competition sent cones flying through the air as participants maneuvered four MarcParc-owned SUVs and trucks around the course in an effort to win a gold medal and a Garmin GPS.
Event co-chair Manuel Montano, MarcParc’s director of standards and training, organized the event as a teambuilding exercise and a chance for valets to show off their skills. “When you think of a valet, you think of them getting in a car, driving to a parking spot, and that’s the end of that,” he said. “But here, you’re testing organizational skills, maneuvering skills, and making sure the vehicle is secure. It’s very challenging.”
To judge the competition and tally scores, Montano used the National Valet Parking Association’s official Valet Olympic rules and guidelines, which specify penalties and infractions, such as a 10-second penalty for knocking over a cone.
The event kicked off at 10:30 a.m. as valets tested their ability to quickly recognize vehicle keys and corresponding tickets in the Key Jumble. Another group took turns at the slalom event, maneuvering forwards and backwards without exceeding 10 mph through cones placed along the length of the parking lot. Judges kept track of the drivers’ times, while participants engaged in a little lighthearted trash talking, such as “My grandmother can go faster than that!” or “Where’s my car? I’ve been standing here for 20 minutes!”
After a lunch break catered by Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Café, the drivers competed in two final events—individual maneuvering, which tested parking ability, and a team relay race that required valets to sprint in the oppressive heat just after downing fajitas. But the contestants went for the gold, with their pride on the line as well as a chance to possibly represent the MarcParc team at the National Valet Olympics in November in Scottsdale, Arizona. Although Montano wants to send a MarcParc team to the conference, the company's presence is still up in the air, depending both on employee interest and available funds.
